


Primrose

by MintMoth



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-09 03:19:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11095776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MintMoth/pseuds/MintMoth
Summary: Flowers. It was always flowers. Sprouting from the floors, the walls, the pages of his books, his clothes, his skin… The more he pushed down the more they grew. The appearance of flowers always marked his breaking point. A physical manifestation of everything he was trying to forget, to ignore in favor of his ongoing facade of being the cold and perfect prince everyone expected him to be. But inevitably he would break, and the flowers would grow.





	Primrose

**Author's Note:**

> Just a small two page fic about a headcanon concept that I like.  
> Hope you enjoy!

Leo had always hated flowers. They spoke a quiet and vibrant language that he understood seamlessly. It was a second language, as natural and second nature as breathing. He hated it. Unwanted emotions being pulled out from the deep and displayed for all to see in a thinly veiled excuse for beauty. It was mocking.

It came down to magic. More specifically Leo’s magic. It was another thing that came naturally, running as rampant in his veins as the dragon blood denoting his royalty. Perhaps even more so. By his birthright he had inherited Brynhildr, honing and refining his abilities and learning how to control the magic within him. Despite this there were still times it got out of hand. Overwhelming. Burning. Flowers. It was always flowers. Sprouting from the floors, the walls, the pages of his books, his clothes, his skin… The more he pushed down the more they grew. The appearance of flowers always marked his breaking point. A physical manifestation of everything he was trying to forget, to ignore in favor of his ongoing facade of being the cold and perfect prince everyone expected him to be. But inevitably he would break, and the flowers would grow.

They were growing now. Alive in the walls and floor, climbing up his desk. The very sight made him feel ill. He’d given up on tearing them out of the woodwork, his hands still raw from earlier. He knew they would always grow back, despite this he always found himself uprooting them in a fury. They were mocking him again, blooms claiming emotions he had no desire to take hold of. Yet here they were, physical and overwhelming. He couldn’t even look at them.

A light knock rang out from the door.

A blind panic consumed Leo, quickly tearing at the flowers once more. They were uprooted and tossed out of sight within moments. He took a deep breath before permitting whoever was at the door entrance into his room. Honestly he had no idea who to expect at this ungodly hour. He was either about to be scolded by one of his siblings or begged to go to sleep via one of his retainers.

The door opened quickly and in walked Niles. Of course. The last person Leo wanted to see at the moment. Niles gave a small bow as Leo turned his full attention towards him. “Do you need something from me?”

Niles grinned, looking more of a smirk then anything. Honestly unless he was frowning Niles’ mouth was always crooked, pulled up just a touch on the left side, giving him a near permanent smirk. Leo had learned to read his expressions over time. Niles still wasn’t an open book but he was an old and complicated one, spine worn from how many times Leo had attempted to delve further into the pages. “Saw the light from under your door and came in to confirm your approval for me being on midnight patrol for the next week.”

A sigh rose from Leo, of course it was something that could wait until morning. “As long as I don’t find myself needing to leave the castle for the next week then it shouldn’t be a problem.” He turned back to turn his attention towards his desk and the paperwork atop it. “Is there anything else?”

Soft footsteps echoed from the floor off the tall ceiling as Niles approached slowly. “While I acknowledge that it is not my place to tell you what to do my lord, I do recommend that you perhaps put your efforts on pause and lay yourself to rest for the night.”

Leo turned to stare at him with an annoyed expression, Niles now standing beside him. “Are you telling me to go to bed?”

“I thought it might help if I was a bit more eloquent about it, but yes.” Niles chuckled softly to himself, the sound like the gentle tinkling of broken glass. Leo tried to shake it off. “If you’ll remember Lady Elise intended to have tea with you in the garden tomorrow morning. I know you’d hate for her to be disappointed.” 

Another sigh came from Leo, of course it had slipped his mind. He brought a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes. “It’ll be fine. She’s pushed it back until the afternoon before. Elise knows I’m busy.” Leo went back to idly sorting the papers in front of him. Honestly he wasn’t busy tonight, his mind conflicted and staving off sleep. His thoughts were once again interrupted as Niles put a hand on his shoulder.

“You’ve been hardly sleeping as of late. If I make speak informally...I’m worried about you.” Leo felt his heart flutter despite himself. This had been happening for a few months now. Small affections read into far more then intended, causing unwanted emotions to stir. It was unwelcome and wrong. As Leo pushed the feeling down a small flower bloomed at his feet. “I know you have problems sleeping most nights, but this is worse then usual. Is something troubling you?”

Leo moved his foot, crushing the flower under his heel. “It’s nothing more then usual. But I suppose I’ll head to bed, it is rather late after all.” He tapped out a stack of papers before setting it down and making his way to stand. As Leo shuffled around he barely registered Niles moving to his other side.

“Seems like an odd thing to toss on the floor.” Leo’s blood ran cold. The flowers. Niles picked them up gently, broken stems, wilting leaves, torn petals, and all. “Did you receive these from an admirer?”

Leo kept his back to Niles, face flushing with embarrassment. Niles knew about his magical problems and had to be teasing him. This was the last thing he needed. “S-Something like that.” He cursed himself mentally as a small stutter escaped his lips. “They’re garbage. Throw them out for me will you.”

Niles held the flowers gently as he made his way to the door. He paused for a moment, “Maybe you shouldn’t have been so rough with them. Whoever gave you these must really care for you.”

“What makes you say that?” Leo couldn’t help the harshness in his tone. He averted his gaze from Niles’, his sole sky blue eye burning into Leo. God he was beautiful. “They’re just stupid flowers.”

“They’re primroses.” Niles pulled one from the bunch, staring at it fondly. “They can mean inconsistency or bashfulness, but they’re most commonly known for meaning,” he paused, eye once again flitting to rest on Leo, “’I can’t live without you’.”

Leo felt himself blush brightly. How did Niles know that? He cleared his throat nervously. “Well it’s no matter. Who cares for the meaning of a plant? It holds no value with me.” He was denying this too fiercely, he had to seem suspicious.

Niles simply grinned that wicked grin of his, mischievous and knowing. “I suppose so my lord. I’ll dispose of them quickly as you asked. Wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about me leaving your room with flowers.” He gave that quick blink that denoted it was actually a wink, of all things, before heading back out the door.

This was a mess. No matter how hard Leo tried to cover up whatever emotional nonsense he shouldn’t be having, but found himself in regardless, it always found a way to resurface. His heart was racing, the feeling of Niles’ hand on his shoulder lingering, ‘I can’t live without you’ echoing faintly in his ears. He was just being teased. Niles couldn’t know. He shouldn’t know. 

Part of Leo hoped he did.

The room felt too empty, the darkness nearly consuming. Small primroses began to creep up through the floor boards once more, wrapping gently around Leo’s feet.


End file.
